The Rock and the Tree
a story of how we can live together
as recounted by Maisie Cavanagh
A long time ago on the banks of the Hawkesbury River, there was an area populated with trees, but every time in rained and waters rushed down the mountains, one by one the trees were washed into the river below. Every tree except one little tree was washed into the river. All alone this little tree stood there worrying every time the clouds gathered in the sky. Right next to the little tree was a little rock, just peeping out of the ground.
One day the little Tree said to the little Rock,
"You know every time the clouds gather in the sky I get so afraid that it is going to rain and the waters will come rushing down the mountain and wash me into the river just like they did to my family and friends."
"Gee," said the little Rock, "I wish there was something I could do."
So every time the clouds gathered in the sky, together the little Rock and the Tree worried.
Then one day as the Rock and Tree were talking together the little Tree said,
"Why don't we call on the Aboriginal Spirits that live in the land, and see if they can help?"
So they called on the Aboriginal Spirits, and the Aboriginal Spirits came and they made a fire, and sat in a circle around the Rock and the Tree, and they listened to their story...
The little Tree said,
"Every time the clouds gather in the sky I worry that maybe this time that waters will come rushing down the mountain and I will be washed into the river just like my family and friends before me."
The little Rock said,
"I would like to help the little Tree but I don't know what I can do, I'm only a little Rock."
The Spirits talked among themselves then one Spirit spoke and said,
"We have decided with every dawn you, Rock will get a little bit bigger."
Then the Aboriginal Spirits left...
When the sun came up the next day, the little Rock started to come out of the earth, getting
bigger
and bigger
and bigger
When the rain did come and the waters came rushing down the mountain, it would go around the Rock leaving the little Tree to grow, and together they grew bigger and stronger each day.
Then one day the Rock said to the Tree,
"You know, every time it rains and the waters come rushing down the mountain I can feel my foundations start to move, and I think it won't be long before I will crack and be washed into the river, and I will be leaving you."
"No, that will never happen," the Tree said, "for I am big and strong now, and my roots are so deep down in the earth. I will wrap myself around you and protect you."
Ant the Tree began to wrap itself around the Rock...
And when the clouds gathered in the sky, and the rains cam and the waters came rushing down the mountain, it went around the Rock and the Tree. For the Rock and the Tree are so locked together that nothing can part them.
So every time that we Aboriginal people visit the Rock and the Tree we see two people who have perfect kindness for each other. For perfect kindness is true love.
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